Nicky Morgan’s drive to promote British values in schools undermines Christian teaching and is potentially dangerous, divisive and undemocratic, the Church of England has warned.

The Education Secretary was accused of adopting a ‘narrow’ set of values following the Trojan Horse scandal, ignoring Christian concepts such as ‘loving one’s neighbour’.

The Church, which is responsible for teaching about one million English children, fears Mrs Morgan’s definition of Britishness could be used too narrowly to test whether individuals are ‘safe’ and ‘loyal’ citizens.

It also criticised the use of Ofsted inspectors to ‘police’ the teaching of equality and diversity.

The comments come in response to rules, drawn up by former education secretary Michael Gove, intended to prevent Muslim extremism in schools, following claims of a plot to take over governing bodies in Birmingham.

Schools must ‘actively promote’ British values such as democracy, tolerance, mutual respect, individual liberty and the rule of law.

But complaints have been made that, in efforts to prevent religious extremism, the rules are having ‘disturbing consequences’ for moderate faith schools…Read More

Source and Original Content by Dailymail

Gathering at “a time of severe tension and conflict,” particularly in the Middle East, 24 Catholic and Muslim leaders and scholars have urged dialogue to promote greater respect and understanding and condemned all acts of violence committed in the name of religion.

The Catholic-Muslim Forum met at the Vatican from November 11 to 13 while newspapers continued to be filled with stories of ISIS forces committing violence against Christians and other minorities in Iraq and Syria, and just days after violence erupted around the Jerusalem holy site known as Haram al-Sharif by Muslims and as Temple Mount by Jews.

The 12 Catholic and 12 Muslim participants in the forum “unanimously condemned acts of terrorism, oppression, violence against innocent persons, persecution, desecration of sacred places, and the destruction of cultural heritage,” said a statement released at the end of the meeting.

It is never acceptable to use religion to justify such acts or to conflate such acts with religion,” said the delegates, who were led by Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, president of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, and Seyyed Hossein Nasr, a professor of Islamic studies at George Washington University in Washington DC…Read More

Source and Original Content by Catholic Herald

The archbishop who distributes charity on behalf of Pope Francis has announced that public loos in St Peter’s Square will include showers where the homeless can wash.

The service will require volunteers and donations of soap, towels and clean underwear, Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, the papal almoner, told the American Catholic News Service. “We have to be evangelical, but intelligent, too.”

Several people living on the streets of Rome or in tents say it is not difficult to find a parish or charity that will give them something to eat, but finding a place to wash is much more difficult.

Barbara, a Polish woman who lives in a tent with her teenage son and a companion, said showers in the Vatican’s public loos “would be good. We’d thank them if it works.”

Her companion, who calls himself Stefano, said: “I’m a mason without work. I’ll help them build it. No problem.”

The news site Vatican Insider first reported the news that Archbishop Krajewski had asked the office governing Vatican City State to include showers in an already-approved project to remodel the public loos in St Peter’s Square…Read More

Source and Original Content by Catholic Herald